No Need for a Shoe Horn

What do your shoes say about you?  Is it fair to evaluate and form a first impression of someone based on their shoes? Should the circumstances or environment play a role?

We all know a shoe monger. You may even be one yourself. Can we really fault a shoe monger?  They are actually pretty smart because they know their feet are very important. If your feet are sore, blistered or broken, your life can become rather complicated. Your feet are your foundation.  We all know what happens when the foundation is not solid. It cannot properly support the temple.  It deteriorates over time without proper maintenance and becomes weak.

So why do we have all these crazy types of shoes?  There are high heels, stilettos, platforms, wedges, flats, sandals, thongs, clogs, tennis shoes, boots, dress shoes, loafers, ballet, and the list goes on. Within each category of shoes there are sub-categories of shoes.  Take sandals for example, there are hundreds of varieties of sandals for both men and women. Some dressy, others casual, some for sports and others for support.  Then there are many, many types of sporting shoes - basketball, volleyball, golf, track, baseball/softball, running, football, fins, climbing, etc.  Where does it end?

It's exhausting. So many choices and we only have two feet!  So I guess our selection of shoes do say something about us and what type of person we project towards others.  Are you high maintenance, athletic, practical, slovenly, professional, casual, sexy, or tough?  You probably cross over into several of these shoe arenas depending on what your day or evening entails.

But you have your favorites, the shoes that truly represent you. The ones that are worn, tattered or just plain comfy.  These shoes don't give you the shoe blues. They are the throne that houses the crown jewels. Your feet live like kings in these shoes. You are You when you wear these shoes.

So when someone says "Don't judge me until you have walked a mile in my shoes." You are thinking - no way, I like my own shoes. But sometimes, we must understand what it is like to walk in someone else's shoes. It's important. It teaches us compassion, understanding and sympathy.

We may experience new challenges, travel where we have never been or thought we would go.  We need to step out of the kingdom we have built to keep us safe.  We can begin that journey by walking in someone else's shoes to gain a broader perspective of the world which we often ignore.  Expand your foundation and start walking.